$3 Chie Mihara Boots!

I didn't know anything about Chie Mihara.  I know more after finding these boots at Goodwill As-Is.

Here's the story of my Chie Mihara boots.

I was an hour into shopping at GW As-Is. The shoe bin had just been rolled out. I was digging and fighting off agressors.  All of a sudden I felt soft leather and thought, "hmmm, that feels expensive." I pulled out these gems (the boots).  I saw the brand name, but that meant nothing to me at the time. On the bottom I saw European sizing and also made in Spain. As intriguing as the quality, condition and details seemed I still wasn't 100% positive I wanted to make the purchase. Instead of putting them down I carried them around for a bit.

Even if your interest in an item is vague, your best bet is to hold onto it until you are done shopping. Nine times out of ten it won't be where you left it when you change your mind. Why take the chance?

Also if you have a smart phone, you HAAAVE THE POWEEEER! When it was time to check out I googled the brand and immediately saw shoes and boots priced in the $200-$400 range. That pretty much sealed the deal. Even the dude at the register said, "Looks like you found yourself a great pair of boots!"

These types of finds happen rarely, but oh how exciting when they do!

Inspired to Thrift Oversized Sweaters

1, 2, 3

I'm loving the look of cozy oversized sweaters this fall and winter. Every time I see a photo of someone wearing one (like the ones above via Pinterest) I think, "wow, those would be pretty easy to thirft" and also "oooh cute". It seems like the trick is pairing the sweater with something tighter on the bottom. 

Thrifting without a goal can be daunting sometimes. When I look at blogs, watch movies and TV, etc, my eyes are always peeled for thrifting inspiration. My plan is to occasionally post some of those inspirations.

My muse for oversized sweater thrifting is Linda Evangelista in one of my all time favorite music videos, George Michael's Freedom '90. For some reason, I've always thought of this sweater in the back of my mind. I like to imagine living in a drafty loft, making tea and curling up with a sweater pulled over my knees. Do you have an article of clothing that evokes emotion or catapults you into a fantasy world? 

To me her sweater is the perfect combination of cozy and sexy. She is sexy, so that probably helps. My fave part is when she pulls the sweater over her head and you can see the light stream in through the knit. 

What makes us like certain clothing? I think it is because they make us feel good. Oversized sweaters make me feel good. Time to go thrifting and find one.

Vintage (60's) Slip from Goodwill As-Is

I have absolutely no excuse for my slacker ways. Where have I been for a week? I don't know. Not blogging, unfortunately. I have so much to post, I need to get on the ball.

I actually do have one excuse, my friend Andrea was in town from MI. Also I'm job searching, which is a motivation sucker.

Enough of that. Do you remember my day of glory at Goodwill As-Is? This Vintage 1960's French Maid Lingerie Company Slip is one of my finds.



I didn't know much about the slip when I dug it up. Here's what I did know:

1. It was Old-ish, potentially vintage (based on the tag)
2. It was in amazing condition
3. There was no way in hell it would fit me



Normally, I don't buy clothing that doesn't fit, but for $1...! The design is so intricate, feminine, pretty, soft, etc. Something this special just cannot be passed up! I wish I could wear it, but that would require self starvation and a breast reduction. Instead I will probably bring it to one of my local vintage shops.



Googling French Maid Lingerie Company is a little frustrating. Try it. You will find a lot of French Maid Lingerie Costumes that are, um...not modest.



Most of the relevant items I could find were on Ebay, Etsy or Classy Option. I don't know much about Classy Option. I found them while researching. They actually have a category just for the French Maid Lingerie brand.

For the record, if the slip did fit I would NOT have modeled it for this blog. Ha!

I hope you're having a great week so far!

Retro 1970's Scuda Napkin Set

This Retro 1970's Scuda Napkin Set is one of my exciting finds from Goodwill As-Is. I didn't know what they were when I pulled them out of the bin, but I knew they were cool. I hesitated buying them, because I don't really need napkins, but when they said $1 for the set, I said, "yes please"!


I've been trying to research them, but my search has been clouded by a "Scuda Vintage" shop in Long Beach (now closed), a pair of "Scuda flats" made by Blowfish Shoes and the "Scuda underwater drinking apparatus".

sheeeesh

I did however find these relevant links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

I have yet to find anything about who Scuda was/is. Anybody have some knowledge to drop or a link to share?



This brings up yet another reason why I love to thrift. If you asked me last week if I was familiar with Scuda I would have said, "Scuba...huh"? Now I can at least recognize the style. And, if I feel like being pretentious I can walk around saying, "aaaaah yes, that design is Scuda-esque".

In all seriousness, I really do enjoy learning about artists, designers, companies, manufacturers of the past. Finding cool stuff and researching is just one of the ways to do it. To me, Antiques Roadshow and American Pickers is riveting television. Well maybe not riveting, but good stuff nonetheless.

I'm not sure what to do with these napkins yet. I think framing them could be cool? The condition is so nice I can't really see myself using them to wipe my mouth. What do you guys think?

100th Wrinkly Post & The Craze That is Goodwill As-Is

I just realized this is my 100th wrinkled dollar post. It comes at a perfect time, because my weekend thrifting adventures are well deserving of an honorable place in the history of this blog. Ha.

Part of the reason this weekend was such a thrifting success is because I spent it with my thrifting-partner-in-crime, Jenny. She is one of the very few people I know that is ready and willing to get down and dirty to dig up ‘great finds’. Not many people can handle the craze that is Goodwill As-Is, but Jenny can!

Speaking of Goodwill As-Is, we went twice, Friday and Saturday. Friday we dropped in on our way back into the city. We parked at a paid meter so our time was very limited. Also, we were unprepared. We put another quarter in the meter to find a place to wash our hands. We failed. The last 5 minutes of our meter time was spent washing our hands with a bottle of water and hand soap I bought the day before at Target (it was in the trunk). This scene was pretty hilarious, not one I will soon forget.

Most people my age will go out on a Friday night in San Fran, party and have a good time. Jenny and I relaxed inside. Our plan, which we accomplished, was to leave my apartment around 7:00am on Saturday morning, eat breakfast and walk to Goodwill As-Is. You may think we are nuts already, but it will seal the deal when I tell you we spent a good 2 ½ hours there.

I took photos this time!



Both days we found great stuff, but Saturday was ridiculous. We both had a basket overflowing, but in the end we only bought a few items. The key is to grab ANYTHING that seems appealing and decide whether it is worth purchasing later. Beware of buying just because the price is right. Bring a friend that will put things in perspective and help you to determine what to throw back.

I saw retro/vintage stuff, but also a LOT of Jcrew, H&M, Banana Republic, Forever 21, Gap, etc. Lots of great stuff. Condition of course varied. There was a lot of shii… crap in there too, but that’s where the digging comes in.

Just like Goodwill Outlets, shoppers are competitive. Some dude had his cart covered with a sheet so no one could see what he found. We were there when new bins rolled out and people lined up to wait. Some girl tried to start grabbing before all the bins were out and a crazy-veteran-lady-shopper called her out, "HEY WE ARE WAITING"! It is important to be observant and figure out the “rules”.

Here are the prices. For those with a range, price is determined by the cashier.


On Saturday when we checked out we were charged less than we thought on some items. Love that!


They have some pretty awesome stuff for the home too. I didn't buy anything, but a nice woman who was shopping next to us found two beautiful throw pillows (in plastic bags still) that were originally marked $78. She also bought a lamp I was eyeing for $1!



We were told that new bins are rolled out approximately every two hours on Saturdays. We were tempted to wait for the next round, but by that time we were exhausted and decided lunch and gelato sounded more appealing.

Anyway, I can't wait to show you what I bought. There are some items in particular that I'm especially excited about. Stay tuned!

Oh yeah, we also went to Thrift Town on Friday during their 50% off all clothing sale. By that time I was so burnt out I barely looked and didn't buy anything. I did however take a photo (below).



Ok, I'm out. Stop back (hopefully tomorrow) when I post one of my great wrinkled dollar finds.

P.S. I swear, I'm not a hoarder. Whatever amount I bring in, that same amount gets donated. It is imperative to maintain closet balance.

Take a Chance with Wrinkled Dollars

So much to blog, so little time.

I'm spending some quality time with my good friend Jenny, AKA my thrifting-partner-in-crime. We have a full day of thrifting tomorrow, which will include another adventure at Goodwill As-Is. Exciting.

The other day I checked out Thrift Town for the first time. It is HUUUGE! I was a little overwhelmed. My first impression was positive: large selection, decent prices, discount sales and a dressing room! I noticed that they also have sections called "better clothing", which I assume means nicer brands. The housewares and furniture were impressive. I need to explore more. Jenny and I will be going back tomorrow for the 50% off sale! Hopefully it is not too picked over by the time we get there.

Have you ever been to a Thrift Town? What do you think?

I wanted to take a quick second to show you this skirt I bought at Value World for $.50 ($1.00 with 50% off coupon).


Something about the pattern attracted my attention. I second guessed myself before buying, but eventually decided to give it a try...for 50 cents.


I like it paired with this knit top, a birthday gift from my mom from F21.


It is easy and fun to take a chance on an item when you are only spending wrinkled dollars. I'm not sure if this skirt is a wow-er, but I did feel good about the outfit walking down the street. I guess that's all that matters.


Maybe I felt good about the outfit, because I was wearing my favorite boots. I love my boots.

Time to rest. Bye.

Managing to be Inspired, finally!

I've missed out on a lot of 'Inspiration Monday' opportunities. Two Birds do it every week. They are so dedicated! It is such a fun exercise to look at a photograph, soak up details and allow those details to inspire an outfit from your own wardrobe. Try it. You will pull items off the hanger you haven't worn in awhile. You will pair those items with other items you never thought meshed well. I'm going to participate more often in the future.

Every week? Probably not.
As much as I can? Yes!

Manageable blogging is key, which basically means not committing myself to anything. Ha.

I did manage to participate this week!



This dress is from F21 and was a birthday gift from my mom. The velvet blazer is wrinkle worthy at a wopping $.25! I posted about it before here.

I added this cowl (from Target last year) to the look, because my dress has the same cut as Maggie's and I'm not one to show much cleavage. Sometimes 'Function > Fashion'?



I need to come to terms with the fact that any photo location in San Fran will ultimately have an audience of some kind. People passed by, partaking in their normal Monday routine while I was taking these photos. It was embarrassing. Self talk helped: "DO IT", "BE EFFICIENT", "GET IN AND GET THE HELL OUT"!



So, don't pack away your maxi dress yet. Throw on a blazer and transition that piece to your fall wardrobe!

$3 Purse from SF Goodwill As-Is

There is no Goodwill Outlet in San Fran, but there is a Goodwill As-Is.

Goodwill As-Is looks just like the Outlet, a warehouse full of rolling blue bins, except it is much smaller. Instead of paying by weight, As-Is has set pricing by item type. For example, purses are marked $1-$3 depending on size, material, etc. The cashier makes a judgement call when you pay. They charged me $3 for this purse, most likely because of the size.


Items at Goodwill As-Is range from shoes, clothing, purses, household items, linens, etc. Not for the novice thrifter! As I reccommeded with the Outlet Store, it is best to bring gloves. From my experience nothing is dirty, but it is less icky when digging through the bins if your hands are protected. I was totally unprepared when I was there, tsk tsk. I saw two lovely young gentlemen who were obvious As-Is pros. I watched them dig up tons of great stuff. Needless to say, I will be back soon.


I don't know why the items at Goodwill As-Is are there. From what I could tell there was nothing wrong with them. I doubt they are items not bought from normal Goodwill Stores, because they don't have the Goodwill tags. My guess is they are just unsorted overstock. Next time I'll ask and let you know.


So this purse...
It is pretty sweet, no? I'm pretty pumped, because my computer easily fits inside. There are three large openings, which I find convenient for, um...separating things. Ha. The tag says Barneys New York. Whether it is real or not, I don't know. That is not my concern. It fulfills all of my purse needs: large, lots-o-pockets and cute. Also, I like that it is inexpensive. I get sick of purses quickly, with this one I'll feel less guilty.



Any questions about Goodwill As-Is?
Would you consider shopping there?
I promise to take a photo next time!

Two Tops for $Three!

I've been in San Fran for almost a week.

I like change. Change is good. That being said, I can see why some do not. With change comes an inevitable grace period of discomfort. During this time nothing feels familiar. You have to test the waters, see what makes sense, figure things out. Im in that stage right now; smack dab in between excitement and scared sh*tless. Beyond this time of uncertainty is new confidence and growth. I look forward to being in that place, but at the same time I'm doing my best to embrace this fresh feeling that will quickly fade.

So now, how about some wrinkly clothes? I bought both of these tops at Value World (in Michigan) with a 50% off coupon.



You may recall another lace top that I recently featured. I donated that one back to the cause, because this one is long sleeve and therefore I like it better. There really is no need to keep both.



I was nervous about the weather in SF, but so far I am pleased. My preference is to layer and feel cozy, so the chill suits me quite well. Plus I like to wear boots, scarves and hats.



Speaking of hats, I bought this one for just $1 at the 'Hoosier to Hoosier Sale' last fall while living in Bloomington. It is really soft cashmere. I wear it a lot.

Missing you, Hoosier to Hoosier Sale.



You've all seen this cowel about 1MM times and I posted about my black cords before too. You can't see them, but I'm wearing my $.25 shoes.

Next post will be about a sweet purse I found at a Goodwill As-Is store; my first SF purchase with wrinkled dollars. Stay tuned.

Cross Country Phone Photos

I'm here, safe and sound in San Fran! Joe and I drove through nine states over the course of two days: Michigan - Indiana - Illinois - Iowa -Nebraska - Wyoming - Utah - Nevada - California. I thought western Wyoming was particularly beautiful.

Below are some of my favorite images from the trip. The quality leaves something to be desired, but this is what you get when shooting with your phone through a window at 70 + mph.





I should have some wrinkly posts coming up early next week. I just started to organize my closet yesterday, wore me out, ha. We downsized our living space, which means I will need to downsize my wardrobe. I'm going to make an appointment with a vintage shop down the street to see if they want to purchase anything. I'll let you know how that goes. The rest goes to Goodwill and possibly Buffalo Exchange.

At some point in the future I plan to share my explorations of nearby vintage / resale clothing shops with you all. Posts about efficiently decorating our studio apartment may also come into play.

Looking forward to it.

used jewelry: stories you can wear.

I'm not consistent with Jewelry. I go through stages. I remember a couple years ago I was really into earrings and I NEVER wore necklaces. Now I rarely wear earrings and I love long necklaces. I haven't worn many bracelets over the years, but now I'm all about them, and watches. Ah, the circle of trend.

It is for that reason, along with the fact that I don't trust myself to take care of expensive jewelry, I enjoy buying or 'acquiring' used jewelry. I say 'acquire', because some are from my mother's/grandmother's/friend's, etc jewelry box. Those are extra special.

I'm attracted to unique pieces, usually something with a bold statement. Estate sales are the best. I have found some pretty cool things. To locate an estate sale in your area, go to craigslist, click on garage sales and search for key word "estate". It is that easy. Or, you can just search key word "jewelry" and see what pops up.

Below are some that I bought or 'acquired' this summer (everything else I have is already in San Fran).



Jewelry can tell a story. Clothing can too, but I feel like jewelry more so. For example, the bracelets in the first photo I bought from my parent's neighbor whose boss bought them for her in Vietnam. Some pieces have a story that you will never know, like the elephant necklace I got at the Disabled Veterans thrift store. Last year I bought a gold locket at Value World with a very old faded photo still inside (not pictured). I love the mystery.

Usually items like those pictured above can be purchased from $.50 - $2. Very cheap for a one of a kind piece.

Do you buy/acquire Jewelry from Thrift Stores / Garage Sales / Estate Sales / your Mother's Jewelry Box, etc? If so, please feel free to share stories in the comments below.

Enjoy the week!

Floral Maxi Skirt

I'm back from a week long visit in Connecticut; my dad and I drove out last Sunday. I spent two days with a friend and the rest at my gram's. My brother also flew in from Los Angeles. He drove back with us on Saturday. Fun times had by all. Now I'm back in Michigan for a couple weeks before the cross-country road trip to San Fran.

I've been thrifting a lot, trying to take advantage of the cheap Michigan shopping while I still can. I bought this Maxi Skirt at Value World with their awesome 50% off coupon. It was originally market $2.40.



The coupon is still Valid, but no longer available online. Sad. I've been searching for it in local shoppers, mailers, etc, but no luck. Yesterday, while at Value World, I told my little sister that I was only looking, because I refuse to buy anything full price when I can get it 50% off. Some guy overheard my whiney complaint and offered me one of his extra coupons. I accepted and enthusiastically thanked him! Maybe I should whine more often, or maybe not. I think I do my fair share already.

Can you believe just after I wrote the above paragraph I checked the Value World website and the coupon is now available? Good news! It wasn't yesterday, but it is today. Maybe they weren't getting as much response. I don't care, just glad it is back.



Maxi skirts are easy to find at thrift stores, just go to the skirt section, squat down and see which skirts are touching the floor.



The fanny/waist Pack I'm wearing is from Urban Outfitters a few years back. I just recently took it from my mom, she was going to sell it at our garage sale. We'll call it a free acquisition.



Quick tip, do NOT attempt to climb while wearing a Maxi Skirt. I almost bit the big one yesterday while jumping off a cement post. The end of my skirt caught the top of the post and I took a 90 degree dive to the pavement. Luckily no permanent injuries.

Thanks to my brother for withstanding the mosquitos to take photos of me!

See y'all later.

Mad Men Casting Call

Any Mad Men fans out there?

I just submitted a photo for the Banana Republic AMC Mad Men Casting Call. The person with the most votes will win a walk on role on Mad Men, season 5! If that isn't enough they also get a $1000 Banana Republic shopping spree. It would pretty much be the best thing ever. If you want, please vote for me and tell your friends. You can vote once every 24 hours. Thanks!

VOTE



Also, you can check out the Man Men Banana Republic line here.

Thanks!

Quirky Cross-Stitch Portraits

I'm in love with these quirky cross-stitch portraits I bought at a garage sale.


I remember seeing them from afar and thinking, "I bet they're overpriced". Luckily I was wrong. The homeowner was moving to Arizona and very eager to get rid of her stuff, which meant most items were dirt cheap (love that). She told me her mother-in-law handmade them. Other than a little dust they were in great condition. I came home, cleaned them up and now I'm quite happy.



The craftsmanship is amazing! I do not cross-stich, but my guess is these portraits took some major time and skill.



Check out the different fabrics and detail. I like how the man's pocket handkerchief overlaps the stitched gold border.

Quirky is probably the best word I can think of to describe these things. I'm not sure if they are actually cool to the general populous, or if I just have a strange fascination. Either way, I'm glad to give them a new home.

Loubella Extendables Blouse - $1

About two months ago (or maybe more) Joe purchased a Groupon for Advanced Consignments. The deal was spend $15 and get $30 worth of merchandise. We finally made our way into Advanced Consignments the weekend before last. They have a lot of antiques and collectibles and a fair amount of clothing. I of course started with the $1 clothing rack. Before I knew it, I already had 5 items in hand. I then checked out the racks of regularly priced (used) clothing and found nothing. Apparently I want the stuff no one else does. That's cool.

This blouse is one of the $1 items I purchased.



I love the pattern and color. I also love the condition, the white is immaculate. Can anyone help me place an age, era, decade? It is made by Loubella Extendables.



The fabric is very thin and light, should make a great layering piece. Of all of the items I grabbed off the $1 rack I only bought this blouse, a skirt and a blazer. All in all, pretty good finds.



That only used up like $3 dollars of our allotted budget so we bought some non-clohting items including this beer sign. It is approximately three feet tall-ish.



Fun.

$.69 Belt from Goodwill Outlet & Value World Coupon

I spent a good two hours at Value World today. They have another awesome coupon - 50% off your entire purchase. That is a massive discount, especially when you consider how low their prices are to begin with. Good stuff. I'll be checking out another location tomorrow.

I saw one of these phones (clear Conair) at Value World today. Growing up I always wanted an extra phone line in my room with a phone like this; one that glowed and lit up when it rang. Ugh, if I had a land line right now I'd probably buy it just to fulfill a childhood dream. So cool.

Anyway, I got this belt (below) a couple months ago at the Goodwill Outlet when I was still in Indiana. If you missed my post about Goodwill Outlet Stores you can read about it here. Items are priced by weight - $.69/lb. Since I bought a handful of items at the same time I'm not able to report the cost with 100% certainty (they put your entire purchase on the scale at one time), but worst case it was $.69, because it definitely weighs under a pound.


I was pretty surprised when I found this belt, because in my experience cool stuff at GW Outlet is few and far between. There were two more bold wooden belts right next to it, but I handed them off to another shopper. Share the wealth, it is good thrifting Karma, ha.



This skirt was featured on a past post, here.



A simple outfit for a humid day. Despite the heat the sky was quite pretty.